Testing 1, 2, 3 ... meatfree protein hits

Impossible Chicken Nuggets. Photo / Supplied

Protein is an essential building block, but there’s so much more to it than meat. Here are three yummy ways to get the protein your body needs.

Not jerky

For the vegetarian cheeseboard lover (and snacker), Off-Piste Provision’s vegan jerkies and salad toppers are a great substitution for the real thing in terms of both texture and flavour. Made from pea and fava bean protein, there are three jerkies to try – original, sweet & hot, and teriyaki, a biltong, and a range of meat-flavoured toppers made to be sprinkled on salads, pastas, or eaten straight from the pack of course. From $6.99, offpiste.co.nz

Gray is hoping to pull in a share of the growing number of flexitarian consumers. Photo / Supplied

Impossible nuggets

A good dupe for the real thing, Impossible’s Chicken Nuggets are the ultimate in convenience food – but without any chooks living sad lives for your supper. Keep them in the freezer and bake them just as you would a regular nugget. Go old-school English style and serve ‘em up with chips and beans, or mix up some American-style chicken nuggets dipping sauce (there are a million ways to go here, but we’d recommend blending mayo, tomato sauce, some hot sauce, salt and pepper, and a little Worcester) and serve with fries. $15 per pack, supermarkets nationwide.

Impossible Chicken Nuggets. Photo / Supplied

The cheesy choice

For more delicious protein than you can point a stick at, there are four stores in Auckland that have been recognised as offering an exceptional cheese-buying experience. Three of these are Farro (at Grey Lynn, Mt Wellington and North Shore), and the fourth is Newmarket’s Sabato deli and grocery. Stores are assessed by the Specialist Cheese Association, based on treatment, handling and range, with just 14 stores across NZ considered to meet their high standards.

One of Farro Grey Lynn's cheese cabinets. Photo / Supplied